This subtle Caseology Legion Case is stylish and nostalgic

Flashy cases that stand out are a dime a dozen, but a case that exudes style while blending into the life and style you’ve already built are a bit more rare.

The market for Samsung Galaxy S9+ cases is rife with cases that are all fighting to stand out. Clear cases struggle to shine brighter than the competition. Leather cases push the limits of fashion, but what if you want something a bit more dependable? Something that doesn’t show off, but will stand strong against the harsh world you carry your Samsung Galaxy S9+ through?

Well, that’s when you turn to Caseology, because the Caseology Legion case is a solid dual-layer case that brings subtle style and a nostalgic throwback to another Android flagship.

Caseology Legion Case for Galaxy S9+

Price: $14.99

Bottom line: This case is a diamond in the rough; a solid case that looks boring. Despite the angular look, this case feels great in the hand thanks to an HTC 10-esque chamfer.

The Good

The Bad

Colors are a bit limited

Case feels a little bulky than most dual-layer cases

Caseology Legion Case for Galaxy S9+ What I like

The Legion is a solid tank of a case, hugging the Galaxy S9+’s every curve and offering a high lip around each edge of the screen to ensure that the screen is protected from side drops as much as possible. The higher lip around the sides should make the case feel bulky, but Caseology fights that feeling using a bold chamfered edge around the back edge of the case. It felt so familiar in my hand, but it took me weeks to realize why: it’s the same edge my HTC 10 used.

That chamfer helps cut down on the feeling of thick sides while still allowing the case to have thick sides, and just as it did on the 10, that chamfered edge catches and shines the light. It adds the perfect amount of shine and style to a case that’s otherwise unassuming and happy to hide in plain sight.

The Legion — like most of Caseology’s offerings — features well-sculpted port cutouts at the bottom of the phone and a gentle slope that guides the finger up to the fingerprint sensor, but the cutout around the heart rate sensor is steep and makes getting a good reading while the Legion is on next to impossible. Not many use the heart rate sensor, but it is worth pointing out for those of you who do.

Caseology Legion Case for Galaxy S9+ What could still improve

While the chamfer is a detail that feels great in the hand, it doesn’t really add much flair to the case itself, and the carbon fiber detailing at the top and bottom of the case are whispers, meaning that that case is dominated by a solid, flat, metallic back. While that flat back is great when you’re using it flat on a desk, you can’t deny that the case can look downright boring at times.

The case’s colors don’t help things much, as there are now four colors available for the Legion: basic Black, a deep red Burgundy, deep Purple to compliment the Lilac model, and a deep Ocean Blue. What about the lighter Coral Blue pictured above? That color option is no longer listed on the Amazon listing for the Legion or on Caseology’s site, though it is available for the new Galaxy Note 9 Legion case.

The darker colors are fine, but having a lighter colored version was nice for contrast and that lighter blue played Silver from time to time depending on the light.

Caseology Legion Case for Galaxy S9+ Should you buy it?

When looking for a case that’s functional without being frumpy — a case that looks good without drawing unwanted attention, the Caseology Legion Case delivers rock-solid protection with an adaptable style. Even better, the dual-layer Legion case offers the same kind of robust drop protection as an Otterbox or UAG for a fraction of the price.

4out of 5

Could it use some colors that aren’t quite so dark? Yeah, but I can take a dark case that delivers, and this is definitely a dark case that delivers.